The NBA All-Star Game isn’t what it used to be, and that’s no longer a debate. In 2025, fans tuned in with hope but left with disappointment. “We’re not necessarily looking for players to go out there as if it’s the Finals, but we need players to play defense. We need them to care about this game,” Commissioner Adam Silver had said the year before, hoping for intensity. But that intensity never came. Players barely tried on defense, and the energy just wasn’t there. The format change aimed to fix things, but it didn’t move the needle much for most viewers.
While TV ratings dipped 13%, they still beat 2023’s record low. But what really stood out was digital engagement. League Pass signups jumped 56%, and social content hit 4.7 billion views. It looked like younger fans still cared at least online. But here’s the question: are they watching because they love the game, or because it’s just… everywhere? That’s where the NBA’s new $76 billion media deal with NBC, Disney, and Amazon comes into play.
Starting 2025-26, fans will see nationally televised NBA games every day of the week. NBC will host doubleheaders, ESPN stays midweek, and Amazon gets the big Thursday and Friday slots. This deal locks in eleven years of constant coverage. Sounds good, right? But there’s a catch. Turner Sports is out, ending a partnership that started in 1988. Legal fights may follow. And as Woj puts it, the NBA’s new visibility is part of the problem.
“It used to be one of the great events in the league, and it has deteriorated,” said Adrian Wojnarowski. He told Jao Mile that too much exposure has diluted the All-Star Game’s appeal. “Now we’re watching every player all the time on our phones,” he explained. “I think it lost its magic in that way.” When players are always visible, nothing feels special anymore, not even the All-Star Game.
Jun 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media before game one between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Woj didn’t stop there. “They can’t find a formula to make that game compelling,” he admitted. He recalled the only All-Star game he enjoyed in the recent history, and it was back in 2020, when the Elam Ending pushed stars to really defend. But now, with players worried about injury and little incentive to compete, it feels like just another game. “They make too much money to really think you’re going to fix it by bonuses,” Woj said. So if not money or format, then what?
Maybe the biggest issue is saturation. “Everybody sees everything all the time,” Wojnarowski said, pointing out how players used to use All-Star Weekend to showcase their talent to the world. “Now it doesn’t matter what city you play in,” he added. Fans already know you. The mystery is gone. But Woj did give out a suggestion that he believes might save the league: “There’s only one formula left that I think everybody seems like they want to try, and that’s US versus the world.” But is Adam Silver going to take that route? That is a whole other question.
Why Adam Silver still isn’t sold on a USA vs. World format
After another disappointing All-Star Weekend, the NBA seems ready to pivot again. Fans have thrown around ideas, and one concept keeps coming back: Team USA vs. The World. It sounds exciting, right? But Commissioner Adam Silver hasn’t exactly been jumping at it. “I don’t think a straight-up USA versus World makes sense,” he said a couple of months back, pointing to the 70-30 split between American and international players. The imbalance could make the match feel more uneven than thrilling.
Silver did admit that the current model failed to deliver. “It was a miss,” he said of the recent multi-team format back in March. The concept was too chaotic, and the long breaks between games didn’t help. “We’re not there in terms of creating an All-Star experience that we can be proud of and that our players can be proud of.” It was a rare moment of blunt honesty. Still, that doesn’t mean he’s ready to take the full leap toward international showdowns.
What’s more likely is a twist that fits NBC’s Olympic-heavy programming. Adam Silver said, “There probably will be some different teams we form.” Instead of one global team, we might see mini national squads or continent-based teams. “We can play off that nationalism,” he added, linking the idea to NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage, which will lead into next year’s game. That timing could shape the entire event’s theme and energy.
Silver’s cautious nature reflects his desire to get it right, not just take risks. “Maybe we can single out… some different national teams that can compete,” he said. So while fans want USA vs. World, Silver wants balance, fairness, and something the league can proudly stand behind. The spark might return, but only if the league takes the right shot.
The post Adrian Wojnarowski Warns Adam Silver’s $76B Plan Risks NBA All-Star Weekend as Major Changes Await appeared first on EssentiallySports.